Rains bring flooded roads, mudslides, river warnings

Downpour breaks daily record at Asheville airport

Fruitland Road was closed near its junction with Lancaster Road on Sunday due to high water spilling across the pavement.

Nathaniel Axtell/Times-News

By NATHANIEL ATXELLTimes-News Staff Writer

Published: Sunday, May 5, 2013 at 6:41 p.m.

Last Modified: Sunday, May 5, 2013 at 6:41 p.m.

Inundated roads, flood warnings and the potential for more mudslides will make commuting challenging for some Henderson County residents on Monday morning, after more than 2.25 inches of rain fell Sunday.

Facts

Road closures

These Henderson County roads were closed because of high water on Sunday, and they are expected to remain closed Monday morning.

-- Airport Road near College Drive, adjacent to Blue Ridge Community College

-- Balfour Road near Hendersonville's water treatment plant

-- Warlick, Jeffress and Butler Bridge roads in Mills River

-- Fruitland Road just past Lancaster Road

-- East Caswell, South King and White streets in Hendersonville

The National Weather Service said Sunday's steady downpour broke a daily record at the Asheville Regional Airport set in 2003 and pushed the year-to-date rainfall totals to 24.16 inches, about 9 inches above average.

Although rainfall was expected to slacken late Sunday, another band of moisture is forecast to track northeast from the Alabama/Georgia border, bringing an additional half-inch to some areas of the French Broad Valley between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. Monday, said Neil Dixon, a NWS meteorologist in Greer, S.C.

The French Broad River climbed above its flood stage of 16 feet in Blantyre about 3:30 p.m. Sunday. The NWS issued a river flood warning for Henderson and Transylvania counties lasting until 9:42 p.m. Wednesday. The river is expected to crest around 19.5 feet by Monday afternoon, flooding fields and railroad tracks.

Low-lying portions of roads throughout Henderson County were underwater and barricaded as of late Sunday, according to Henderson County Fire Marshal Wally Hollis.

“All of our standard places are out,” he said, including Airport Road near College Drive; Balfour Road near Hendersonville's water treatment plant; Warlick, Jeffress and Butler Bridge roads in Mills River; Fruitland Road just past Lancaster Road; and East Caswell, South King and White streets in Hendersonville.

The Fourth Avenue entrance to Jackson Park was also flooded late Sunday, Hollis said.

“It'll probably be the same situation in the morning, if things don't change, and they haven't predicted any big changes overnight,” Hollis said Sunday. “I don't expect a whole lot more flooding, but I don't expect this to recede anytime soon.”

Mudslides blocked one, then both lanes of Chimney Rock Road near its junction with U.S. Highway 74 in Bat Cave between 3 and 5 p.m. Sunday, according to Assistant Fire Chief Danny Freeman of the Bat Cave Volunteer Fire Department.

While Bat Cave VFD members directed traffic, a two-person crew from the N.C. Department of Transportation used a backhoe to clear the road of mud and trees that spilled down a steep embankment onto the pavement.

“We're just now clearing the scene,” Freeman said around 6 p.m. Sunday. “They've got it opened up, but they'll probably have to do more work on it in the morning. It started with a small one that blocked one lane, and later it really slid out.”

Officials warn motorists not to drive through flooded roadways. Besides being dangerous, Hollis said driving around barricades is illegal and can result in a citation.

Soggy and cold conditions forced organizers to cancel two races scheduled for Sunday. The Bearwallow Beast 5K Trail Run was postponed “due to extreme winds plus cold, rain and flooding.” A rain date will be announced at www.bearwallowbeast.com.

Meanwhile, organizers for “The GNAR,” the Gnarliest Kids Adventure Race at Camp Pinnacle, had to reschedule their competition until Sunday, May 19, in hopes the weather will be, well, less gnarly.

A flood watch remains in effect for Henderson, Transylvania and Polk counties until 6 a.m. Monday. Dixon said the Hendersonville area stands to get more rain Monday, with the best chances in the morning. Highs are not expected to crawl above the mid-60s.

“There'll be showers around, but not this kind of widespread coverage,” he said.

Reach Axtell at 828-694-7860 or than.axtell@blueridgenow.com.

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